Have you considered building a pipeline to send wastewater to a
treatment plant in Lincoln or Wheatland instead of upgrading the
existing Sheridan Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)? How would
those options compare on a cost basis?

The solution that we have already embarked upon involves
upgrading the current pond and spray field system that comprise the
Sheridan WWTP. The estimated cost of completing this project is
$2.3 million. Funding for this project has been obtained through a
combination of grants, Cemex Development Agreement funds, and
contributions from the County General Fund. Operating costs for the
current WWTP are relatively low compared to the mechanical
treatment systems in Wheatland or Lincoln.

Abandoning the Sheridan WWTP and pumping wastewater to a
proposed new treatment plant serving Wheatland would cost $7
million, based on preliminary estimates. This option is under
consideration as a potential long term solution, but is not
currently feasible or cost effective.

Abandoning the Sheridan WWTP and pumping wastewater to Lincoln
has also been discussed and considered. This project would likely
be more expensive than the Wheatland option because the distance to
the Lincoln plant is much further (3.6 miles to Wheatland, 10 miles
to Lincoln).

What is the history of the water system: why and when were
wells drilled and abandoned?

Destroyed or disconnected wells include:
- Old Well 2 (Existing Fire Well) which was drilled in 1970 to
allow for the abandonment of private wells and the septic systems
that were contaminating them. Old Well 2 was disconnected from the
system in 1982 because it did not comply with the 1981 California
public water well standards.

- Old School Well (Well 3) originally served the school site. The
school allowed the County to connect this well to the public water
system. Old School Well was decommissioned in 1982 because it did
not comply with the 1981 California public water well
standards.

Connected and Active Existing (E) Wells include:
- Well 1 (School Well) – Well 1 was drilled in 1970 in order
to allow abandonment of private wells and the septic systems that
were contaminating them. Well 1 was paid for by FHA grant and loan,
currently produces approximately 320 gallons per minute (gpm) and
has backup power.
- Well 2 (Ranch House Rd. Well) – Well 2 was drilled in 1982
to allow for the abandonment of an older well, called “Old
Well 2” Currently, Well 2 produces approximately 150 gpm and
does not have backup power.

Proposed (P) Well
- Well 3 – is scheduled to be drilled and ready in spring
2011. Well 3 is proposed as a way to comply with the maximum day
water demand requirements established by the California Waterworks
Standards of March 2008.

Please provide a map and description of existing and proposed
wells.

See the map of the project.

What will the connection fee be if the moratorium on sewer and
water fees is lifted?

It is too early to predict what connection fees the Board of
Supervisors might establish if new connections become available for
sewer and water services in Sheridan. The existing approved
connection fees per Equivalent Dwelling Unit for Sheridan are
$1,700 for sewer and $1,500 for water. Because of the ongoing
moratorium on new connections, these fees have not been adjusted
since 1985. Staff will recommend re-evaluating these fees utilizing
a methodology that takes into consideration the value of previous
investments that will benefit new users divided by the number of
potential new users.

Sewer connection fees in other local districts typically range
between $6,000-$9,000 per connection. The Placer County Water
Agency charges $15,000 for a standard water service connection.
Costs for the Sheridan County Service Area may be more or less
depending on capital costs and the level of grant funding for the
sewer and water projects.

How many hookups do you need to operate in the black?

The proposed new fees are projected to balance the Sheridan CSA
budget in three years with 25 new connections.

Any connections beyond 25 will help reduce the need for future
fee increases. The two proposed capital projects are projected to
create capacity for 70 new connections.

When can people apply for the new connections?

We cannot currently provide any assurance that new connections
will be available within any specific time frame; therefore, no
date has yet been established for taking applications for new
connections. Our focus now is to line up funding and consultant
contracts to insure that the capital projects that are expected to
provide new capacity can move forward as planned. It is unlikely
that we could consider accepting applications before January of
2010. We will notify the community of progress towards this goal at
future meetings of the Municipal Advisory Council.